Anti-terror ops experience decided Army Chief pick?

New Delhi: The new army chief designate Lt General Bipin Rawat’s wide experience in counter terrorism and insurgency were among the top parameters that qualified him for the top army post, a top defence ministry source told this newspaper on condition of anonymity.

“In the current security situation, counter terrorism & counter insurgency are key issues. Therefore the background and operational experience of the officers on the panel were considered in depth while selecting the next COAS”, the source said.

“Lt Gen Bipin Rawat fulfills this criteria by virtue of his operational assignments as Commanding Officer of 19 Division in J&K and his outstanding track record, his familiarity with the functioning of the Army HQ & MoD in his capacity as Vice Chief”.

From the Gorkha Regiment, Gen Rawat has also served the III Corps based in Dimapur and as GOC-C Southern Command, Pune.

The government takes the final decision choosing the most suitable officer from a panel of five officers in the rank of army commanders.

“All officers in the panel are very competent officers and the most suitable among them is selected. However it must be emphasized that the prerogative of selecting the most eligible is the government’s prerogative,” the defence ministry source said.

The naming of Lt Gen Rawat as the new army chief on Saturday evening by superceding two of his seniors-Eastern Army commander Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi and Southern Army commander Lt Gen PM Hariz-has drawn a lot of flak while also developing into a political issue with the Congress and the Left virulently questioning the move.

Another theory gaining ground is the possibility that Lt. Gen. Praveen Bakshi, who was Gen. Rawat’s senior, may be in the reckoning to become the Chief of Defence Staff as and when such a post is set up.

“Whether they (Gen Bakshi and Gen Hariz) continue or resign is a totally individual and personal decision. Despite being strictly hierarchical, there are any number of cases of seniors serving under juniors. So there shouldn’t be any problem in this case too,” an Army official said.